Blue skies. Warm sunshine. Gentle, swaying breezes. Summer’s such a beautiful time of year, isn’t it? Yet with the many demands of our busy lives, we may all be just a little guilty of forgetting that we can make it as fun and rewarding as we want to. The most important thing to remember is to give meaning to what really matters: relationships, not activities or events. So let’s rediscover the true joys of this season all over again — together. Plus, to help spread Summer Joy, we have beautiful, printable summer quotes you can cut out and leave for others, or use for your as your own inspirational reminders to soak in the season!

How to Make a Meaningful Summer with Kids

The secret here is to avoid just absentmindedly and randomly making a list of things to do. Instead, plan your activities thoughtfully and with purpose. Be sure to actively involve your kids, and find out what’s most important to them as well. Some sample questions to ask them: “What do you think would be a fun thing for us to do together this summer and why?” “If you could imagine the best summer adventure in the world, what would it be?” “What can we do to make a difference?” Here are a few fun examples to spark an idea of your own:

Learn something new. Share an experience that’s both novel and interactive. Ask your child if there’s something they’ve always wanted to try and maybe never had the courage to do. What a great way to discuss feelings of insecurity, how to handle life’s challenges, and satisfaction of accomplishment. Just having you there may be all the encouragement they need to get past their comfort zone.

Volunteer for a worthy cause. Work side-by-side helping others while discussing the importance of giving back. Do some crafts with the elderly in a nursing home. Walk a dog at an animal shelter. Or offer popsicles to the garbage truck workers in your neighborhood. You may even make a few new friends along the way.

Nurture relationships. Who do your kids want to spend more quality time with and get to know better? And why? Talk to them about the importance of relationships, whether it’s with their cousins, grandparents, or next-door neighbor. Then coordinate the visits and discuss afterwards.

How to Make a Meaningful Summer with Friends

This is all about spending quality time with your BFFs. That means stowing away cell phones and carving out time for lots of personal interaction. Take a day off work. Heck, take off a whole week of vacation and do something serendipitous. We like to call it “deliberate fun.” Here are some suggestions to get you started on your own brainstorming:

Get personal. Instead of just “liking” the social media posts and photos of friends you haven’t seen in a while, take the time to actually call or visit them. Try doing this on a regular basis, and you’ll soon see how special you make each of them feel.

Go unplugged. Pick an activity to do with your friends (liking eating out, going bowling, or hiking trails) and leave all electronics behind. Focus on your friends and give them your undivided attention. Bonus: Have your friends do the same.

Make it “write.” There’s nothing quite as meaningful as a handwritten note, letter, or card from a friend. Get out your pen and rekindle an old friendship, or strengthen a new one.

How to Make a Meaningful Summer for Yourself

We all need some alone time once in a while. And summer is the perfect excuse to wind down and enjoy yourself — by yourself. Forget the errands and chores. They can wait. You can’t. This is your time. Make the most of it.

Research your roots. If you’ve always wanted to find out more about your family history, now’s the time to do it. Reach out to family members who can fill in the gaps. You may even discover relatives you never knew you had! Your next family reunion will be that much bigger.

Take some time just for you. Start the day with a nature walk to set a calm mood and take plenty of deep breaths to drink in your surroundings. Read a book, or write in a journal. Watch your favorite movie, or catch up on some much-needed sleep. Take the day to revisit yourself and see how refreshing some true “me time” can be.

We hope this helps you in planning to make it a meaningful summer this year, no matter who you’re with! To make it even a bit more fun and exciting, here are some super-cute summer quotes we’ve created just for you. Download and print today. use the blank notes to fill in activities or ideas you want to accomplish this season. Happy summer, everyone!

We have been overwhelmed with the amount of stories being shared since the launch of our infertility series. The bravery and strength it takes to share these stories has not gone unnoticed, and we would like to thank everyone for having the courage to share.

Through many of these stories, we have heard what women, men, and couples wished people knew about infertility and the everyday challenges that come with the journey. We invite you to share those thoughts and wishes through this (free) printable fill-in-the-blank. Simply print out the sheet, fill in the statement, and share on any social platform to help people understand your unique perspective.

Let’s hear it for moms for these sweet printable Mother’s Day notes. It’s no question that moms tackle the #WorldsToughtestJob every day, but do they get the praise they deserve for it? Let’s face it. Not really. It’s easy to take all that they do for granted, especially when they often appear to handle it all so seamlessly. But most moms, no matter if they’re working moms or stay-at-home moms, are secretly struggling with doubt and worry, wondering if they’re doing any of it right. So let’s remind them that they are!

Print out the free “Mompliments” below and leave them anywhere a mom can find them—in her mailbox, on her desk at work, on her car windshield, on her front porch, or even the shelf of a grocery store or library where a very grateful mom will see it and feel the support of the universe on her side. Think of it as ‘random acts of kindness’ only this more ‘random acts of compliments.’We’ve even made it easy for you to write in your own, too! All moms just want to be validated and feel like they’re doing a good job, so let’s lift them up by sharing these Mompliments with your #MOMSQUAD, and celebrate them, and all moms, for how hard they try every single day. If you’re left a Mompliment, or leaving one for a mom, we’d love to see it! Share it on your social channels by using #MOMSQUAD.

February is here, and if you’ve walked around any store, or browsed any website recently, you know Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! But beyond Valentine’s Day, there are several other fun holidays celebrated throughout the month. We’ve created a Free, Printable February Calendar for you to print out and mark with these holidays, as well as upcoming birthdays you want to remember, and any other important dates you want to make note of.

Other holidays we think you might enjoy celebrating in February include:Groundhog Day (2/2)
Do you think Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow? Make a fun family bet!

Make a Friend Day (2/11)
It’s always great to make new friends. Try talking to someone you don’t know so well today, and talk to the little ones in your life about the importance of making new friends.

Random Acts of Kindness Day (2/17)
We love this day. Treat a friend or coworker to a cup of coffee, or leave a little note of gratitude for someone special.

National Drink Wine Day (2/18)
Red? White? Rose? Cheers to this fun holiday!

The 89th Academy Awards (2/26)
Whether you’re planning on going to an Oscar party, or watching in your pj’s, this always an exciting night!

Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday (2/28)
Eat, drink, and have fun on this day of celebration!

You may have sung this holiday carol since childhood and, to this day, still have no idea what wassail, or wassailing is. Coming from the Anglo-Saxon waes hael , the word literally means ‘be you healthy’ or ‘good health’ and was first used as a simple greeting before being turned into a traditional drinking beverage. (Which is why, “To your health!” is often said when drinking with others.) This hot, mulled cider became the focal point of “wassailing,” which started as a Medieval drinking ritual as an honor to the trees, intended to ensure a good cider apple harvest the following year. The tradition later changed from going orchard to orchard, to going door to door with a large, ornate bowl asking for it to be filled, which became the custom of wassailing – or the habit of visiting neighbors, singing carols, and sharing drink — much like our customs today of caroling and Mumming. Plus, enjoy a delicious Christmas Wassail Recipe below.

The phrase Waes hael caught on as a common toast due to the piece of toast or crisp breads that were traditionally floated on top of the wassail, which is where our phrase, “Let’s have a toast,” or “I’ll toast to that!” comes from. Traditionally made of mulled ale, curdled cream, eggs, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and sugar with pieces of toast and roasted apples floating in it, wassail was also sometimes called ‘Lamb’s Wool’ because the pulp from the roasted apples made it look frothy, resembling soft wool. The legendary drink was served on the Feast of the Three Kings, or Twelfth Night, which marks the three wise men’s visit to baby Jesus, but the wealthy drank Wassail on all the 12 days of Christmas.

If you haven’t made wassail before – time for a new tradition! Plus, your house will transform into a cozy Christmas cottage the minute this sweet pot of joy-joy starts simmering. There are many variations of wassail but most all of them contain several basic ingredients, and you can make it with hard cider and brandy or forgo the alcohol altogether to make it kid-friendly like the delicious wassail we’re sharing here. We promise that it will wrap you in warm yuletide cheer the entire season.

Step 1: Pour apple cider into your pot, then add the orange juice, and lemon juice and gently stir together until well blended.

Step 4: Lastly, make round slices with your apple and orange and add them to your pot.Tip: if you’d like, you can stud your orange slices with cloves on the edge of the peel or on the top for a festive look.

Step 5: Set the slow cooker to high heat and cook for 3-4 hours, until the color has darkened and the fruit is soft. If using a pot on the stove, allow to simmer all day, then remove the tea bags and serve hot.

We hope you’ll enjoy the warmth and comfort of this traditional drink all throughout the season. May you drink it in ‘good health’ with your family and friends. “To your health!”

Have you ever stopped to wonder, “Wait, what exactly is figgy pudding?!” We’re here to explain, and we have a yummy Figgy Pudding Recipe for you!

Dating back to at least the 16th century, figgy pudding (a dense, moist, cakelike dessert also called “plum pudding” or “Christmas pudding”) was part of an old English tradition where the wealthy would hand it out as a treat to carolers on Christmas Eve to brave the chilly night.

In time, figgy pudding became part of another popular British tradition, too, called “Stir-Up Sunday,” which took place on the Sunday before Advent each year. Entire families would get together to make their Christmas pudding, with each member taking turns stirring the mixture and wishing for good luck.

Some fun facts:

The original recipe contained 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his 12 disciples.

Stirring was done from East to West to remember the Wise Men who visited Jesus after his birth.

Coins were traditionally added to the batter to bring luck to anyone who found them in their “pud.” (We wouldn’t suggest doing that today!)

The garnish of holly represented Jesus’s crown of thorns.

Today, the figgy pudding recipe is more like something akin to fruitcake—certainly more cake-ish than pudding-ish—that’s been steamed and served flambé. It’s an extra-special holiday treat that’s as delicious as it is unique.

Now that you know what it is, it’s the perfect time to make one for the holiday season! Click here to print your free recipe card. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!

December is here, lights are going up, presents are getting wrapped, and the Christmas countdown has officially begun. As holiday spirits continues to rise, why not share the fun with your friends, neighbors, and co-workers?!? We’re talking about Elfing!

Not sure how to play? Here’s a simple breakdown:

You can start the game anytime before Christmas by leaving an Elfed surprise for neighbors or co-workers. Begin the game by secretly leaving a bag of treats and other small surprises, together with an Elf sign and Elf poem explaining how to play the game.

If you’re leaving your Elfed bag for a neighbor, ring their doorbell and run! When they open the door, they’ll be greeted by a little holiday surprise left by their very own Christmas elf. In turn, each recipient is asked to post the sign to alert would-be Elves that they’ve already been visited, and to pass the game along to two more neighbors. The best part is seeing the joy spread throughout the entire neighborhood.

You can also Elf your way through the office by following the same instructions, just leave your surprise for a co-worker when they’re not around, and ask them to display their sign in a visible spot on their desk.

To get you started, simply select one of our FREE Elfed Printable Signs that makes the most sense for who you’re Elfing, and print out a few copies to include with your surprise.

Fall is here, and there is something about this season that makes us want to bring out the warmest and kindest versions of ourselves. A really beautiful way to do that is carrying out little random acts of kindness for the people around us. We’ve collected some of our favorite inspirational quotes, and put them together on one printable sheet that you can cut out and leave for those around you.

Use them to remind people that you’re thinking about them, or even leave them for someone you may not know at all – because we could all use some gentle words for the soul to lift us up every once in while. Below are some suggestions for how you can use these little bits of inspirations.

People you live with:Why not have one of these waiting first thing in the morning for someone to encourage a great day – especially if they had a not-so-great day yesterday. In that case, the “Don’t ruin a good day because of a bad yesterday” quote is a perfect choice.

Another option for a good pick-me-up is the “All you need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt,” quote. Leave this with a mini chocolate bar on the kitchen table and it’s pretty much guaranteed to make their morning bright.

Friends going through a tough time:Sometimes life can be hard, and stressful, and busy, but knowing that a friend has your back and is there when you need them can make all the difference. “You’ll always have the help and support of people who care, especially me,” is a great quote to leave with a friend as a reminder that you’ll always be there when they need you the most.

“Let your faith be bigger than your fear,” is also nice thought to leave with someone who might need a few words of encouragement.

Someone you may not know:We don’t always have to know someone to make a difference in their day. Simply leaving the “Today seemed like a good day to wish you a good day,” quote on someone’s desk is a great prompt to start a “pay it forward” movement around the office. Also, “Color the world with goodness,” is a warm reminder for all of us to be as kind as possible.